Opinion

I think we can go ahead and throw out the sexy trade rumors that we've all heard (and which I promoted here and here ) since the Vazquez trade.

Dear Hollywood Elite,

How many of you have been to a Dodgers game? (Yes, Alyssa Milano and Larry King, I see you.)

How many of you have dated a Dodgers player? (Yes, Alyssa Milano, you can stop waiving your hand now.)

Lastly, how many of you are interested in an intriguing business opportunity that could potentially save the Dodgers and help resurrect Los Angeles' dying economy? (Please step to the front, Kardashian family.)

Hollywood Elite, I offer you a simple proposal: buy the Dodgers from Frank McCourt.

I am a New York fan, plain and simple. I despise the Red Sox and absolutely hate everything they stand for. So why would I be writing a piece trying to diagnose Red Sox front office miscues?

Because the Red Sox are beginning to look a lot like the Yankees of a few years ago.

The St. Louis Cardinals and outfield free agent Matt Holliday have come to terms on a new contract making Mr. Holliday the highest paid team member for 2010.

Scott Boras, Holliday's agent, has confirmed it's a seven year, roughly 120 million dollar deal for the free agent outfielder. Holliday revealed those numbers late this afternoon on ESPN Radio. All were in agreement that the brawny baseballer wouldn’t have to “ever set foot into Aldi again.”

...I see that on their website, the Houston Astros are trying to hock their current hats, a patriotic version of their current hat and a sort of blue-collar version of their classic blue hat with white H superimposed over an orange star. Nice try. If you want me to buy Astros merchandise, Drayton McLane, please ditch the current ugly uniforms and return to the classic space exploration look. Blue and orange. Shooting star from the 1960s would do just fine. The 10-year railroad design and colors should've been ditched 10 years ago...

I was eight-years-old when I attended my first Senators baseball game. It’s not like I wanted to or anything. But I was a fan of Channel five’s “Countdown Carnival” with Bill Gormley, and he asked me—through the television of course—to have a carnival for Muscular Dystrophy. We didn’t get anything for doing it and we didn’t get to keep the money.

But we did get tickets to Senators’ games. Lots and lots of tickets. And so I went.

Another Angel has been given his halo far too soon.

Rory Markas passed away at his home in Palmdale. He was 54.

Markas spent the last eight years as the primary radio and television play-by-play man for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He also called games for USC's men's basketball team and served as a reporter for FOX 11 KTTV in Los Angeles.

From 1994-97, Markas lead the radio broadcast team for the Los Angeles Clippers. Certainly, he was a true broadcasting veteran and lent his voice to several different sporting realms.

With the Marlon Byrd signing shoring up the center field situation, the biggest weakness in the Cubs lineup, provided Geovanny Soto turns things around, is now at second base.

It seems as though the Cubs are content to open the season with the trio of Jeff Baker, Mike Fontenot, and Andres Blanco set to man second base, with Baker in position to get the bulk of the playing time. While there are worse options than Baker, there is a better option currently sitting in free agency, and that is Felipe Lopez.

The Philadelphia Phillies have announced that they have signed Danys Baez to a two-year, $5.25 million contract. He jumped the final hurdle, which was a physical examination.

Baez, 32, went 4-6 with a 4.02 ERA in 59 appearances last season with the Baltimore Orioles. He held right-handed hitters to a .197 average and opposing hitters to a .222 average in 71.2 innings.

In his 10-year career in the majors, Baez has played for six teams, including the Phillies. He broke into the league with the Cleveland Indians when Charlie Manuel managed the Tribe.

Every season a handful of young players take the next step in their career. Something clicks, and they go from good ballplayers, to All Stars.

In 2008, it was Dustin Pedroia, Nate McLouth, and Ryan Ludwick who made that step.

Last year it was Felix Hernandez, Aaron Hill, and of course, Zack Greinke.

Who will it be on 2010? Well, I have compiled a list of the top ten most likely players to have breakout seasons, in my opinion of course.

You'll agree with some, disagree with others perhaps, but what is the fun if everybody agrees with everything?

Enjoy.